Whirligigs, tough subject.

These critters are extremely difficult to photograph, at least for me. While these aren't good, they are the best of about 20 tries. They're always moving, and their shiny backs really mess up auto focus. They move to fast for me to use manual focus.

If any of y'all have good photos of whirligigs, I'd love to see them, plus how you did it.

This isn't good, either. Small camera, little knowledge about using it. But 1/320 sec does a better job than 1/25.

Thanks for sharing. Sometimes it's hard to post photos on this forum that are less than perfect.

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This subject is interesting to me.

I can see how these Whirligigs would be difficult to photograph, for many reasons.

The fact that they are on the water's surface could be extremely challenging, due to glare. . I am guessing that perhaps the best conditions to photograph them might be in clear sunlight, when the surface reflects light differently than it does when it is overcast.

This makes me want to go out and find some Whirligigs to shoot .... although I don't even know if they live anywhere around me or not. . Not sure how far I might have to travel to find them ..... hopefully just hours, and not days. . Looks like I have some research to do!

EDIT: Searching for "Whirligig Beetle" on Google Images brings up hundreds of results. . There are some really good photos of Whirligigs there. . Most feature Whirligigs that have been removed from their habitat and photographed in controlled conditions, isolated against a manmade background. . But there are many other images that show us what we want to see - the Whirligig "out in nature" on the water's surface.

I think a lot can be learned just by viewing images that other photographers took.

https://www.google.com …_AUIEigC&biw=15​89&bih=839

https://en.wikipedia.o​rg/wiki/Whirligig_beet​le

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Terry McDaniel wrote in post #18899135
Thanks for sharing. Sometimes it's hard to post photos on this forum that are less than perfect.

It's easy for me because I have so many of them!

My beetles were in sunlight, enabling a faster shutter. ISO 80 and the blown highlights on their backs show that it was pretty bright. You need plenty of light for a creature that moves this fast. If ambient is insufficient, then diffused flash. The shooting conditions are difficult already: handheld, leaning over close to surface, looking straight down, possible reflections on the water, beetles quickly move out of range.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18899144
This makes me want to go out and find some Whirligigs to shoot .... although I don't even know if they live anywhere around me or not. . Not sure how far I might have to travel to find them ..... hopefully just hours, and not days. . Looks like I have some research to do!

Tom, look here: BugGuide search, whirligigs, Washington Click thumbnails for more info.

OhLook wrote in post #18899225
Tom, look here: BugGuide search, whirligigs, Washington Click thumbnails for more info.

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Thanks for that! . There are several locations listed that are only a couple hours from me.

Unfortunately, when I read about the average size of Whirligigs, I realize that my camera gear is in no way up to the task, and will not be able to come anywhere close to capturing the kinds of images that I would want, if I were to photograph this species. . I think a true macro lens would be a requirement for what I would want to do.

With the close MFD of my 100-400v2 lens, I can do butterflies, and even grasshoppers, to a modicum of satisfaction ..... but these really small critters are a bit out of my gear's league at this time. . I've tried extension tubes on all of my lenses and didn't like the experience at all, so I'm not really sold on that as a viable workaround. . Hopefully I'll be able to pick up a quality macro lens within the next few years ..... that would be fun!

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Terry, I haven't tried for them in a long time, but what I think I would try is to set up where you have a lot of them in a group, then set the camera in continuous shoot mode, aim toward the middle, and let her rip. You'll have to spend some time deleting wasted shots, but your odds are probably no worse than trying to shoot for such a fast moving target.

There are lots of them on the creek in front of my cabin in S AR, and I haven't ever looked for them at night, so that might be another option if your spot is a smaller contained body like a small pond. I may try to get out in my canoe late in the evening this weekend and see what I can do. With my setup I need to get within about 18" so that may be futile.

Try a polarizer filter to reduce the reflections from the water.

I'd suggest diffuse light to reduce the highlights on them.

Thanks for all the suggestions and replies. I'll keep trying. I was using my Nikon Coolpix because of it's longer zoom. I only had my 90mm Tamron on my Canon. Couldn't get close enough with it, unless I wanted to lay down in the water.

Polarizer, didn't even think of that. Should help a bunch. I'd have to use it on my 75-300 kit lens.

Terry McDaniel wrote in post #18899577

Hosted photo: posted by Terry McDaniel in
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forum: Wildlife

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That's pretty cool!

I think that photographing them "en masse" is a good alternative to trying to photograph a single beetle without the proper macro gear.

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